Zenith donates fluoride varnish to kids’ foundation

Zenith Dental recently donated more than 56,000 units of ClearShield 5% Sodium Fluoride Varnish to the National Children’s Oral Health Foundation (NCOHF), the company announced. The NCOHF is an international organization whose mission is to eliminate pediatric oral disease for millions of economically disadvantaged children. The NCOHF will donate the fluoride varnish to several nonprofit pediatric oral health facilities. According to the NCOHF, because of Zenith’s ongoing support and donations

Excess use of denture cream tied to nerve damage

NEW YORK (Reuters Health), Sep 5 – Loading up on denture cream can be hazardous to your health, new research suggests. In the medical journal Neurology, Dr. Sharon P. Nations of the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas and her colleagues report on four denture-wearing patients who developed neurological problems. All had abnormally high levels of zinc in their blood, accompanied by abnormally low levels of copper. Because

Tylenol and pain management: Know when to say when

One morning last February, 19-year-old Madalyn Byrne woke up with a toothache. So the University of Oklahoma student did what many in her condition would do: she took some Tylenol. Weeks later, she became ill with flu-like symptoms and within days died from acute liver failure — all from ingesting too much acetaminophen, according to authorities. Byrne was reportedly taking as many as nine 500-mg Tylenol tablets a day for

Critics fault research on calcium phosphate products

You can get it as a prophy paste or a toothpaste, a gum or a rinse. Nearly a score of calcium phosphate products are jostling for position on store shelves and the hearts of dentists across the U.S. But a growing chorus of researchers says the evidence so far doesn’t support the claims. The biggest red flag, they say, is that most of the studies have been conducted by people

Remedent and Den-Mat partner to enhance Lumineers

Den-Mat has obtained exclusive rights to manufacture, market, and distribute Remedent’s innovative GlamSmile products and technologies in North America and numerous international markets. Terms of the agreement were not disclosed. Den-Mat, maker of the Cerinate Lumineers porcelain veneer laminates, will acquire the rights to Remedent’s single-motion veneer placement tray technology, proprietary veneer fabrication technique, and computer imaging design and digital preview technology. Integrating this technology will enable Den-Mat to launch

Study: Oral health outreach works with newer immigrants

Tapping into the desire to have an attractive smile is the best motivator for improving oral hygiene, and new immigrants are the most receptive to oral health messages, according to a new study to be published in the October 2008 Journal of Consumer Research. Authors Shuili Du of Simmons College, Sankar Sen of City University of New York, and C.B. Bhattacharya of Boston University evaluated the effectiveness of an oral

Ultreo launches toothbrush rebate program

The power toothbrush company Ultreo this month announced “Share a Smile,” a referral program that rewards both the dentist and the patient. To enroll in the program, dentists must contact Ultreo via phone or online. When they do, they’ll receive a welcome kit with a countertop display, patient brochures, and a unique “Share a Smile” code to share with patients. Patients then enter their dentist’s unique code when purchasing an

Dentists offer help in gymnasts’ age controversy

Olympic gymnastics regulations lack teeth — literally, according to some U.S. dentists. They argue that a panoramic x-ray could show whether Chinese gymnasts are old enough to participate in the competition. The controversy flared when some observers questioned whether the female Chinese gymnasts participating in the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing this month were at least 16 years old, a condition for participating in the tournament. News agencies have reported

New bacteria could help battle tooth decay

Dentists battle tooth decay and gum disease on a daily basis. Now British researchers have lent them a hand by discovering a new species of bacteria that could be a possible contributor to both. Identifying and cataloguing new and existing oral bacteria could aid in developing new prevention methods and treatment of oral diseases. However, it is still unclear how relevant these particular new bacteria will be to treating periodontal

SipDisc kits promote pediatric oral health

A new group of products created to support good oral hygiene and help prevent tooth decay is being introduced to dental offices nationwide by Benco Dental. The products include two new SipDisc kits for dentists and hygienists to distribute to their pediatric patients. The kits include daily brushing charts designed to encourage children to practice good daily oral hygiene habits. Each kit features specially designed SipDiscs, lightweight paperboard die-cut disks

Dentist performs root canal on aging monkey

What do you do with an aging monkey whose incisors have worn away? Why, give it a root canal of course! And that is exactly what 24-year-old Twiggy — a lion-tailed macaque — at the El Paso Zoo in Texas was scheduled to receive last week, according to a news story in the Las Cruces Sun News. Animals in zoos can live much longer than in the wild and unexamined

Dentist uses rap to reach younger patients

“Pulling Teeth for the Hood,” “Brush Yo Donkey Teeth,” and “Call Big Doc.” These are just some of the songs featured on a CD to be released in September by Marrio Thomas, D.D.S. — aka “Big Doc” — of East Memphis, TN. According to a story on RedOrbit.com, Dr. Thomas’ goal is to deliver the message of proper dental care to teens, preteens, and even younger patients through a medium